Hindraf: Waytha Moorthy to quit as deputy minister

PETALING JAYA: Hindraf chairman P Waytha Moorthy has tendered his resignation from all positions in the government and the Senate, effective Feb 10, according to a statement from Hindraf.

Hindraf secretary P. Ramesh said the central committee unanimously decided that Waytha Moorthy should tender his resignation, claiming the government had been “dragging its feet” in delivering its promises to aid the poor Malaysian Indian community.

“Hindraf owes its loyalty to the Malaysian Indian poor community and to them only.

“We did the most unthinkable - signing a pact with our one-time nemesis, entirely in the interest of the Malaysian Indian poor and in the honest belief that Barisan Nasional will fulfil its promises.

“We have given up hope of that happening, after eight months of trying,” he added.

Hindraf signed a memorandum of understanding with the government on April 18 last year, just before the May general election, in a bid to resolve the socio-economic problems afflicting the Indian community in Malaysia.

The memorandum’s contents were not disclosed at the time, but Ramesh said the Prime Minister, in his speech, had apologised for the past lapses by the government and promised action.

Ramesh claimed that it was agreed that a Hindraf representative would lead the charge.

Although Waytha Moorthy had been appointed senator, and then as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Hindraf claimed he had met with nothing more than an “unending series of delays and dead ends.”

“It is now clear to us that the Prime Minister and the Barisan Nasional are not going to honour the memorandum, as they have neither the political will nor courage to deliver.

“Hindraf’s only regret is that we have not been able to deliver the changes to the Malaysian Indian poor which we had promised with this initiative.

"We sincerely apologize to them for the hopes we raised,” said Ramesh. Attempts to reach Waytha Moorthy for comment have been unsuccessful.